Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has called upon the Central government to advise all states to implement practical education on cleanliness, waste segregation, and environmental responsibility for children from Class 1 onwards, modeled on Japan's approach. He also urged the Centre to provide financial support to states for executing waste-to-energy, recycling, and circular economy projects. Additionally, he sought viability gap funding for establishing modern infrastructure and scientific waste-processing units in the sector.
National Review Meeting on Swachh Bharat Mission
Speaking at a two-day national review meeting on ‘Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban 2.0’, inaugurated by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday, Bhatti stated that the state government is working towards building a sustainable, inclusive, and environmentally responsible future in line with Telangana Vision–2047.
Solid Waste Management and Climate Response
The Deputy CM emphasized that solid waste management is no longer limited to waste collection alone but is directly linked to climate response, environmental sustainability, the circular economy, employment generation, and economic productivity. He noted that the recently introduced Solid Waste Management Rules–2026 by the Central government are bringing transformative changes to the country’s waste management ecosystem.
Electric Autos and Source Segregation
“The Telangana government is introducing around 9,596 electric Swachh autos in core urban regions. These electric vehicles will help reduce carbon emissions from municipal operations and promote cleaner transport systems. The vehicles are being designed with separate compartments to facilitate four-way source segregation and QR code-based monitoring for efficient door-to-door waste collection,” Bhatti said.
Legacy Dump Yard Remediation
He stated that scientific remediation of legacy dump yards is a major priority for the Telangana government. In the case of the Jawaharnagar dump yard, technical assistance and advisory support are being obtained from IIT Bombay. The objective, he said, is not merely cosmetic intervention but the creation of a long-term environmental management and continuous monitoring system.
He also informed that around 22 lakh metric tonnes of waste spread across nearly 40 acres at the Autonagar dump site are being processed through biomining, with nearly 30% of the waste already processed. The reclaimed land, he said, would not be reused for dumping but developed into parks, sports facilities, and public infrastructure in the future.
War on Waste – Waste to Wealth
“Our goal is to transform dump yards into development centres,” he said. Calling for a ‘War on Waste – Waste to Wealth’ approach, he said waste management should evolve beyond sanitation into a movement for economic value creation. Scientific segregation and processing of waste at source could transform waste into wealth, he added.
